Unfortunately — or perhaps fortunately — the Westfjords are the part of Iceland visited
by the fewest tourists. According to a 2023 survey, only 13% of foreign travelers visited
this unique, sparsely populated but vast region in the country’s northwest corner.
Among those, Germans were the most prominent, even though they represent only one-
fifth of the number of Americans who come to Iceland.
The Westfjords have about 15 hotels and over 40 guesthouses, while around 170
apartments are available through Airbnb. What the Westfjords offer is peace and quiet,
the beauty of fjords and waterfalls, and charming fishing villages where life moves at a
slower pace than in the southwest. Covering about 9% of Iceland’s land area, the
Westfjords stretch across 8,842 square kilometers.
Today, about 7,200 people live in the Westfjords, nearly half of them in Isafjardarbær.
Here is a small glimpse of the Westfjords — a region both fun and rewarding to visit, all
year round.
and destroyed by fire in 1901. Afterward, the Norwegian owners relocated their
operations to Mjoafjordur in the Eastfjords.
Photos & Text : Páll Stefánsson
Westfjords 26/09/2025 – A7R IV, RX1R II : FE 2.8/100mm GM, FE 1.4/85mm GM, 2.0/35mm Z (SWC 38mm)
